Some thoughts on the potential Twitter exodus

I know what it is like to leave a platform. It can be tough, but there are a plethora of communication tools for the Internet. I moved to Twitter as my main conduit, but have always signed up for social networking alternatives (the latest being App.net), searching for the “perfect” app. Part of the definition of that includes federation and interoperability with other platforms. I tried Diaspora* and even called for the federation of Facebook. The solution still eludes us.

I’ve been watching Twitter’s latest moves in the chase for a business strategy with growing concern. Unlike David, I don’t use Twitter exclusively as a broadcast medium. Interaction with friends, internet acquaintances and (internet) celebrities make the platform valuable enough to me to stick around.

The search for the perfect internet communications tool is still ongoing. Status and location updates, sharing short and long bits of text, cloud-like accessibility but retaining ownership and portability… We geeks want to have our cake and eat it too. For most people Email and Facebook are sufficiently easy to manage. Like a landline telephone and snail mail. But the internet can do so much more. Whatever that “so much more” thing is, it’s that which we geeks are waiting for.

With the rise of potential contenders such as App.net, Tent.io, Medium, Branch etc it is pretty obvious that the killer communications platform has not been found yet. Or, the killer combination of platforms at any rate.

Twitter was once the domain of geeks. That is no longer. So we move on. It might be sad, but overall it is a good thing. It means we are pushing for more discovery. I can’t wait to see what new ground we break.

About

Chad Kohalyk thinks and writes about the intersection of technology and politics. He has a master's degree in War Studies, and is active in the startup community. He resides in Kelowna, BC Canada, often making trips to Japan. More →